Number of episodes of Emmerdale
As of 28th November 2017, 8000 episodes of Emmerdale have been broadcast since its beginning in 1972 as Emmerdale Farm. Since then, many families have dominated the show such as the Sugdens, Tates, Dingles and Bartons. Originally based around Emmerdale Farm the show gradually shifted focus onto residents of the rest of the village including Home Farm, The Woolpack and the residents of the main village itself which consists of Main Street, Church Lane and Hotten Road. 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Vital stats Info of milestone episode dates and number ending one series before a short time off air and the new series beginning. The first ever epiosde of Emmerdale Farm was transmitted on the 16th October 1972. Featuring Jacob Sugden's funeral and his prodigal son Jack returning to Beckindale after 8 years away. The series was just intended to run for 13 episodes. Little did anyone know the show would reach 6000 episodes 39 years later and increasing and its 40th anniversary in 2012. On the 12th November 1985 the 1000th episode of Emmerdale Farm was screened. Almost 10 years later the 2000th episode was screened on the 17th August 1995. Episode 3000 was transmitted on the 10th September 2001. Episode 4000 was transmitted on the 17th March 2005. Episode 5000 was transmitted on the 30th May 2008. As of 6 June 2011 5938 episodes have been broadcast. In March 2012 this is over 6100 episodes. As you may have noticed the lapse between the 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000th episode gets closer. That is because of more regular weekly transmissions of episodes. Emmerdale Farm was shown twice a week excluding the Christas period from episode 1 on the 16th October 1972 to episode 260 on 20th May 1975. For the first time the show was to take a summer break from being on air since its beginning. It resumerd on 13th October 1975 (episode 261) to 18 May 1976 (Episode 322). The show was then off air from then until January 1977 and the next epiosde, episode 323 was transmitted on the 3rd January 1977. The show ran twice a week except a short break at Christmas 1977 until 29 June 1978 (episode 460) when it took another summer break, resuming on the 5th September 1978 (episode 461). The show then did its next run from then until the 5th July 1979 when episode 542 was transmitted. The show was off air until the 8rd January 1980 (episode 543). Episode 596 was transmitted on the 17th July 1980 and the show was off air until the 2nd September 1980 (episode 597). Apart from the Christmas period, Emmerdale did its usual twice a week episode transmission until 25th June 1981, (episode 678) and the next episode was transmitted on the 8th September 1981 (episode 679). Episode 696 was transmitted on the 5th November 1981. Now, episodes 697 to 702 were filmed but never transmitted. I shall update when I find out why as I cannot remember off the top of my head why they were never broadcast. One of the episodes featured Jack Sugden proposing to Pat Merrick. Episode 703 was broadcast on the 12th January 1982. Episode 740 was transmitted on the 10th June 1982 which was the last episode before the summer break. Episode 741 was broadcast on the 14th September 1982. Episode 750 was transmitted on the 14th October 1982. The next episode, episode 751 was transmitted on the 19th October 1982 and this was the first episode after the 10th anniversary to be shown. No episode was transmitted on the 16th October 1982, the 10th anniversary but on the 18th October a documentary "Emmerdale-A Decade Down On The Farm) was transmitted. Episode 812 was transmitted on the 16th June 1983 and the show was off air until 13 September 1983 when episode 813 was transmitted. The show ran is usual twice a week schedule except Christmas until 14 June 1984 when episode 888 was transmitted. Episode 889 was shown on the 11th September 1984. Summer 1984 was the last time Emmerdale took a summer break. In February 1985 on BBC1 EastEnders began and soon became a rival of Emmerdale Farm and Coronation Street on ITV so the summer break for Emmerdale was ditched. On the 12th November 1985 the 1000th episode of Emmerdale Farm was transmitted. From 1988 onwards, the first of each two weekly episodes was shown on Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays. Episode 1402, transmitted 9th November 1989 was the final episode of "Emmerdale Farm" before the "Farm" was dropped from the title of the show and the show was just "Emmerdale" as since 1981 the show started to drift further from the farm and more onto Beckindale. The dropping of the title ensured the focus would be more on Home Farm, and the residents of Beckindale not just Emmerdale Farm itself. In 1997, a 3rd weekly episode of Emmerdale was broadcast so the show was broadcast on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In 2000 the show went to 5 weekly episodes shown every weekday at 7pm from Monday to Friday. In 2004 this was increased to 6 episodes a week, one shown on Sundays. This was dropped in 2008 when a 1 hour long episode was transmitted on Tuesday's. As of 2009 6 episodes are shown a week which mean two on Thursdays at 7pm and 8pm. Category:Emmerdale.